How Does It Work?

According to one study, more than 60% of students do not eat breakfast each day, and nearly 75% of teachers surveyed have students who regularly come to school hungry. This Play is a proven way to help get more students to eat breakfast, which can help them do better in school; and it can be done without taking away from learning.

Huddle Up

Huddle up with school nutrition professionals (those who work in your cafeteria) to help with food selections, cost management and preparation; the principal to give your plan a thumbs up; teachers to support the plan; custodians to help plan an efficient clean-up system; and students to help with food selection and delivery to classrooms.

Make Your Case

It's important to convince teachers, administrators and parents that Breakfast in the Classroom won't disrupt the day.

Consider making presentations to get teachers on board, or convince several teachers to test pilot Breakfast in the Classroom and then share how it went with other teachers.

Use this video to show teachers how it is already working all over the country. For more help, use the research about the program's value found below in Tools and Resources.

There is also information for your school nutrition professionals about the way you can make breakfast free for all students, which has been shown to dramatically increase participation.

Invite teachers and parents to come to the cafeteria before school to see how long it takes students to get through the line. Invite parents back once you have Breakfast in the Classroom to see how orderly and quick it can be!

Take Action

Get Started

Plan your menu.

Ask for help from your school health advisor or school wellness committee, if you have one.

Work with your school nutrition professionals to create a menu of delicious, low-cost, nutrient-rich breakfast choices that are easy to package and transport to classrooms. Include low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, whole grains/oats, fruits and vegetables. Consider polling students or conducting taste tests to see what they would like. Sample menus are available in Tools and Resources below.

Consider inviting a local farmer to visit your school and join in student taste tests of the foods you are considering for the menu.

Get organized. Make a plan using lunch carts or wagons, and getting donations of insulated bags that can be delivered right to classrooms. Recruit a local grocery store, farm or restaurant that may be willing to provide donations of food items or funding. Put together a breakfast team of students who can help deliver the food.

Keep It Going

Look for ways to keep this program going and build on it — the goal is to make real, long-term changes in students’ habits.

Try out one of the breakfast-at-school programs.

Meet with your team regularly to talk about progress. Poll students and teachers to see what a difference you’re making.

Spread the Word

Create posters to put up in high-traffic areas, distribute flyers in classrooms and advertise your program during morning announcements. Get the word out on your school's website, blog or in your school's eNewsletter. Consider promotional activities like those found in the Healthy Eating Play A Hero's Breakfast, where you invite local celebrities to visit classrooms during breakfast to reinforce the message that breakfast is fun and important.

Get Others Involved

Talk to local businesses to get their help with food or other donations

Provide parents with information about the importance of breakfast

Encourage parents to support breakfast in the classroom

Involve the community. Schedule a meeting with your school's parent organization and let them know what they can do to help. See ourHomefield Advantage tips to help involve parents at school and at home.

Resources From Our Teammates

Did You Know?

If your school has 40% or more students eligible for free or reduced breakfast, your whole school qualifies for the Community Eligibility Option for reimbursable breakfast and lunch. This means you can serve free meals to all students in the school, without collecting paper applications. It works.

Fuel Up to Play 60 provides this information as a courtesy. It does not imply an endorsement of the websites, organizations, or all information provided thereby. Fuel Up to Play 60 cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided through links. You will be subject to the destination site's privacy policy and terms of use when you leave this website.